WNY and Buffalo NY Hockey Coverage
October Edition
Matt Moulson scored only eight goals last season. ©2016, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – Sabres winger Matt Moulson knows he has plenty of doubters. The former 30-goal scorer understands following a miserable year punctuated by his general manager challenging his work habits, some support for him has eroded.
Moulson, 32, has clearly been humbled. An eight-goal season can do that. So can drawing Tim Murray’s ire.
“I definitely have a chip on my shoulder coming in to prove a lot of people wrong that maybe lost a ... Read the full article
Evander Kane has a court date Oct. 31. ©2016, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – Off-ice incidents like the one at a local bar that resulted in Evander Kane being arrested and charged “happen to athletes or people in a position such as myself,” the Sabres winger said Thursday.
“Those are things you just have to deal with, kind of come with the territory,” Kane said inside KeyBank Center after veterans reported to training camp for physicals. “In saying that, you have to be a little bit more ... Read the full article
Tyler Ennis hasn’t scored a goal since Oct. 27. ©2016, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – In the more than three months Tyler Ennis spent recovering from a concussion last season, the Sabres’ longest-tenured player learned he needed to approach what he calls a “pretty special job” differently.
“It makes you really not only appreciate what you got, but want to do better the next time,” Ennis said Thursday inside KeyBank Center after veterans reported to training camp for physicals.
That’s probably one reason why Ennis, who’s generously listed ... Read the full article
Tyler Ennis only played 23 games last season. ©2016, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – In the more than three months Tyler Ennis spent recovering from a concussion last season, the Sabres’ longest-tenured player learned he needed to approach what he calls a “pretty special job” differently.
“It makes you really not only appreciate what you got, but want to do better the next time,” Ennis said this morning inside KeyBank Center after veterans reported to training camp for physicals.
That’s probably one reason why Ennis, who’s generously ... Read the full article
Evander Kane (9) fights Alex Petrovic last season. ©2016, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – Evander Kane sounded guarded. When the Sabres winger was asked about his turbulent summer, which included charges following an incident at a local bar, he offered only a short reply or deflected the question.
“I’m not going to say too much,” Kane said this morning inside KeyBank Center after veterans reported to training camp for physicals. “I’m here, I’m in camp.”
Kane, 25, said he has “always felt” he needs to walk the ... Read the full article
Zemgus Girgensons was all over the ice last season. ©2016, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – The Sabres team that will convene today for training camp physicals, the official start of the 2016-17 season, isn’t much different from the one that just finished seventh in the Atlantic Division.
Sure, there were some notable summer additions. Winger Kyle Okposo, who signed a seven-year, $42 million contract July 1, was arguably the best free agent available. Dmitri Kulikov gives the Sabres a sturdy veteran to skate beside No. 1 defenseman ... Read the full article
Robin Lehner tries to stop Colorado’s Erik Johnson last season. ©2016, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – At first glance, you might not recognize Robin Lehner. While the 6-foot-5 Sabres goalie wouldn’t give an exact number, he appears to have shed around 40 pounds since April. His hair, which he has often worn long, is closely cropped. His bushy beard is gone.
“I’ve lost a decent amount of weight, got in shape,” Lehner said Monday after skating inside HarborCenter. “I’ve done some life changes. It’s not always going in ... Read the full article
Zemgus Girgensons struggled last season. ©2016, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – The Sabres have re-signed forward Zemgus Girgensons to a one-year contract, the team announced this afternoon.
With Girgensons’ $1.15 million salary, the Sabres have $8.537 million left in salary cap space, according to generalfanager.com. Their last restricted free agent is defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen. Training camp opens in about three weeks.
Girgensons, 22, is coming off a disappointing season in which he mustered only seven goals and 18 points in 71 games. ... Read the full article
Robin Lehner only played 21 games last season. ©2016, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
Buffalo Sabres goalie Robin Lehner, who’s still recovering from season-ending ankle surgery in late March, has pulled out of next month’s World Cup of Hockey, Team Sweden announced today.
Former Sabres goalie Jhonas Enroth, who signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs on Monday, will replace Lehner.
The Sabres expect Lehner, 25, to be their starting goalie in 2016-17 following a season in which he suffered a high right ankle sprain opening night and battled ... Read the full article
Jimmy Vesey was a free agent four days. ©2016, Gil Talbot, Harvard Athletics
Jimmy Vesey, the Hobey Baker Award winner whose negotiating rights the Buffalo Sabres owned for 57 days, signed a two-year, $1.85 million entry-level contract Friday with the New York Rangers, ending an odd five months in which the college star spurned the Nashville Predators to become a free agent.
Vesey, 23, officially became unrestricted on Tuesday, and, as expected, a slew of teams tried recruiting the high-scoring former Harvard University winger.
In addition to ... Read the full article